Once upon a Princess
by Victoria-YNY
Summary: Lenalee once grew up in a palace. Until one night when the mad sorcerer, Cross Marian decided to take revenge for being exiled. Years later, two con-men plan to pull off the ultimate heist for history! Following the story of Anastasia.
1. Chapter 1

**I do not own DGM**

* * *

A time where we lived in a Grand Palace...

A story of the Royal Princess...

The sole survivor of the Lee's royal household...

On that night of the full moon...

* * *

"Yu!"

"Baka Usagi, stop calling me that." a young boy around the age of 8 hissed as he pointed the end of the broom he was using to clean the royal kitchen to the red-head's face.

"Heh calm down Yu, we are after all in a kitchen and you know what would happen if the dust gets into the food." Lavi placed his hands up forcing a grin. Kanda glared daggers at the 8 year old Lavi for a moment before placing it back down and proceeded to clean the kitchen.

"I'll get you later for calling me that." He muttered while Lavi continued to catch his breath from running.

"Y- Kanda," Lavi forced another grin at a dagger-staring-pain-in-the-ass Yu- excuse me. Kanda.

"Hey Kanda, you know about the 100th anniversary for the Lee's royal reign?"

"Who wouldn't?" Kanda grunted sweeping the floor muttering about how Lavi was such a pain in the ass and asking him such a stupid question that would mean that you're either a new-comer or a total retard with a short-term memory loss not to know every party that had, is and will be taking place in the palace.

"Yeah true... but that means..."

"You want to see the princess don't you, you greedy bastard." Kanda directed it at Lavi. It wasn't a question either. Lavi always had high dreams about getting it big and even into royalty but Kanda knew, everyone knew, even the Moyashi brat that vanished along with the... no wait. People would be dead if they uttered a single word about the-guy-moyashi-is-working-under-now-as-an-apprentice guy in simple words; someone moyashi is working for is a taboo in the palace.

"Hehe you hit the nail on the head Yu-" Lavi stopped the moment he saw Kanda's vein popping out of his temples so large it looked like it could cause the end of the world if it was popped even further.

"Royalty don't- wait, NEVER marry servants like you, me and the rest of us goons here. Especially a conceited, greedy, rude, annoying, stupid, irritating, stubborn brat like you." Kanda muttered.

"You're harsh." Lavi muttered. A shadow loomed over Lavi as he widened his eyes and turned around.

"You're supposed to be cleaning the study." The head nurse scolded harshly as she dragged Lavi out of the kitchen despite his usual whining.

"Yeah head nurse, this boy has been distracting me from my work. Please take him back." Kanda smirked for the first time in 3 years, 2 months and 13 days (the last time he smiled was when the maids forced him to so however, that wasn't meant to be counted but at least it was something).

Lavi stared at Kanda.

There was a pause.

"HOLY SHIT KANDA JUST SMILED! IT'S THE END OF THE WOR-" Lavi was in the middle of screaming when the Head nurse placed a pacifier into Lavi's mouth and continued dragging him by the ear. Kanda just looked at him for a moment, 'che'd' and got back to his duties with a straight face.

* * *

(2 weeks later, The 100th Anniversary of the Lee's reign)

"Hold on Milady!" a servant ran to catch up with her mistress who was running out of her room to where the lights, the parties, the dancers and more importantly, her brother who has arrived from Paris to see his lovely little sister on this grand occasion. As the mistress slowed down her pace, the servant took the chance to rush up to her to add the last and important touch in her mistress's hair. A satin ribbon with the color of emerald that lustred it's value and worth under the light that shone throughout the entire palace.

The young lady stopped so that the servant could help adjust the ribbon to make it's master look even more elegant.

"Thank you Linda." Lenalee looked at her and smiled.

"No matter Milady." Linda smiled back and bowed as she took her leave. "Just do your best Milady."

"I will." Lenalee laughed and looked towards the ballroom standing right under the stairs. She breathed in sharply as she picked up her dress and floated down the steps like water. Curtsying to the guest how first did so out of respect for they knew, she was a princess. Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted her tutor who noticed and walked up to her with a glass of wine in one hand.

"Good evening your Highness. You look absolutely beautiful." The tutor bowed down and kissed her hand with a smile. Lenalee returned the greeting with a curtsy.

"Sebastian, could you help me to get across the hall to see my brother?" she whispered looking at the people waltzing across the ballroom and on the other side was her brother talking to a few guest.

Sebastian smiled as he heard the princess ask for the request. He took a bow.

"I would be honoured you Highness." And he took her hand to the edge of the dancing square, poised themselves into a dancing position and then smoothly proceeded to waltz across the hall and joined the performers and the guest. A few minutes later, they were across the big hall on the other side. Lenalee's heart was thumping with excitement upon seeing her brother that the dance was barely finished when she ran off into her brother's arms.

"Nii-san!" Lenalee laughed as she jumped into his open arms. Komui hugged his little sister and spun her a few times.

"Are you going to stay for a few more days?" Lenalee pleaded with her eyes. Komui laughed softly and stroked her hair.

"I'm sorry. I have to go back to Paris. I've built my home (my precious science lab with all the crazy stuff that would cause a revolution in the years to come in a big bang) there." Lenalee's face fell. Komui smiled sadly and handed her a small necklace with something like a tiny green disc as a pendant."

"Read what it says." He whispered into her ear. Lenalee took it up close to her eyes as she squinted to make out the inscription.

"Together... In... Paris..." Lenalee's eyes lit up. "Really!" she exclaimed. "Oh thank you Nii-san!"

"Oh hoho! Never underestimate your genius big brother! Here." Komui handed her a small box, took the necklace and slot the pendant into a small opening of the box and twisted it a few times. Slowly, the cover opened by itself and a dancing couple emerged waltzing to the music played by the box. Lenalee smiled. It played their lullaby. The lullaby shared only between the two...

Komui was secretly relieved...

* * *

Back in Paris in Komui's Science lab where he hung out everyday to procrastinate from the political work was a mess. Beakers broken, tables and patches of wallpaper were charred from small explosions. Papers were littered all over the place. Some rolled into paper balls while others were merely crumpled.

Furthermore, bits of metal wires, springs, sheets and a large amount of wood chips were scattered all over the place and the tables and chairs. Paint was also a part of the mess. A small can of red paint was laid on the table and the last drops of paint continued to drip out. Komui would have to clean it all up when he gets back to Paris...

* * *

Back at the party, Komui's thoughts were still drifting to his messy lab and the horror of cleaning the place.

"Nii-san?" Lenalee's voice snapped him out of his thoughts of hell.

"Huh?" Komui looked blurry at Lenalee still slightly dazed.

"Nothing you just looked strange for a moment." Lenalee said. Komui forced a chuckle.

"It's nothing. Really." Komui smiled forgetting about the messy lab. He held his hand out to Lenalee.

"Shall we dance?"

* * *

"This way Yuu!"

"You god dammed usagi, stop calling me by that name!" Kanda growled as they snuck through the corridors of the palace to get to the ball.

"Shh! Someone will hear you bastard! Don't ruin my once in a lifetime opportunity to see the princess in her gown!" Lavi hissed.

"You already saw her last year you idiot! And it's your 3rd time seeing her in one! Why do you have to drag me into everything!"

"Shut up, we're almost there! This is my chance!" Lavi's eye glinted. Kanda rolled his eyes.

"I'm leaving..." he muttered turning around. The chef would probably be getting the stove ready to cook them alive so if he report to him now, the main course would only be rabbit soup. Thank goodness. That's killing two birds with one stone! (not getting into trouble is one and having Lavi gone from the face of the Earth was another)

"Oh no you don't!" Lavi grabbed his collar and pulled him along.

"Hey! What the- Let me go!" Kanda shouted.

"Quiet you idiot!" Lavi whacked his head and turned it to look forward.

"That's her." Lavi pointed up ahead. It was Lenalee. Waltzing with her brother elegantly across the hall. Kanda looked as well. No. Wait, WHAT WAS HE DOING! But at the same time. She did look beautiful. More than the previous year... and the previous... and the previous...

3... 2... 1...

"STRIKE!" Lavi licked his lips. Kanda sighed.

"Good luck, status aside, that red-head is without doubt the most revolting creature I've ever seen." Kanda muttered. Just then the lights flickered.

* * *

"And then I'll serve you coffee! And..." Lenalee and Komui were chatting happily while they danced about what they would do when they both get to Paris when the lights flickered before going out all at once. All at once, the activities stopped. The musicians stooped playing, the dancers halted through their waltz; the guest's conversations quietened down and turned into murmurs. Lenalee looked up and a terrible presence swept through the ballroom. Komui gritted his teeth and held his sister closer to him as she trembled. A few gasps were heard from the entrance and then it crept through the crowd as it parted in the middle as more gasps and whispers came. A glass broke to break the confusion for a moment as the fear continued to spread like the plague. It reached until the other end of the room where the throne and where the King himself frowned in disapproval.

"Cross! I though I banished you from the palace." The king seethed through his teeth and a small white haired boy scurried behind Cross.

"But I'm here ain't I?" Cross smirked carrying his cigarette in one hand as smoke came out from his mouth into the King's face.

* * *

"Yuu... Isn't that..."

"Stop calling me by that name... I know... It's Moyashi." Apparently the two had snuck through the crowd when the lights went out and now their two small heads popped out through the parted sea of dresses and suits. They were now staring in shock at the small figure behind Cross who was clinging onto his coat and pressing his face against it to hide from the stares coming from the crowd.

"After all I have done for you and your family, YOU tried to kill ME!" Cross spat. More and more smoke began to cover the floor as Cross pulled out a small vial which made the sound of death moaning digging even deeper fear into the hearts of the crowd as the vial began to glow an eerie green and the contents swirled.

"I just love the fear in their hearts. Don't you? Allen." Cross chuckled. The small white-head figure looked up with eyes that were confused.

"It's really Allen." Lavi whispered.

"He has the scar. It means he already pledged to Cross that he would be his servant until..."

"Death..." Lavi finished the sentence.

"You and your family shall die in a fortnight!" Cross shouted so that all could hear. Gasps came and even more murmurs followed. The King immediately scanned through the crowd frantically for his family.

"NO!" a scream came from the crowd.

"Lenalee!" Komui held his sister back.

"WE'RE NOT AFARID OF YOU!" she continued screaming trying to run forward in vain as her brother held her back as tight as he could.

"ALLEN! GET AWAY FROM HIM!" Lavi took the chance and shouted as he ran out from the crowd.

"Baka! Get back here Usagi!" Kanda shouted. Allen looked back at them to meet Lavi's pleading eye's and Kanda's angry face.

"I'm sorry. I can't" he whispered. Tears rolled from his eyes. Lavi was taken aback.

"DO YOU EVEN KNO-"

"SHUT UP BOY!" Cross hissed and swept his hand. Suddenly, Lavi was swept back by an invisible force and landed on the cold hard marble floor.

"Lavi!" Allen shouted more tears coming out. Kanda looked more pissed off than he ever was as he glared at Allen for making the stupidest mistake of his life when he was just 5 years old. He 'che'd' and looked away. The trio were friends weren't they? Lavi would always get them into trouble, Kanda would try to pull them out of it (while he still could) and Allen would always follow those two around. So why? Why did it become like this? Kanda gritted his teeth in anger as he looked on the floor avoiding any eye contact with anyone who wanted to.

"Well, well, how touching." Cross smirked, "but we have to go now, remember, THIS IS THE END OF THE LEE'S - FOREVER!" and smoke engulfed the two and vanished not leaving a trace.

Lavi looked forward breathing heavily with one arm stretched out towards where the two had been. Kanda continued to look down on the floor gritting his teeth even harder. Silence filled the air. Lenalee broke down into her brother's arms and started crying and that was the only thing they could here. Lavi clenched his fist.

"Shit."

* * *

First chapter. Basically, to clear a bit of doubt, this is Anastasia DGM style... I forgot how on earth I was inspired... Allen is 5 in this chapter, Lavi and Yu- *ahem* *cough cough* Kanda are both 8 Lenalee is 6 and Komui is.... er... early twenties? Hehe I dunno... The King is just someone... I don't know who to put in the King's place... I dun wan anyone in the anime/manga to die so I gave random names... *sniff*

**Anyway, this is 100% NOT YAOI AS IT MAKES ME PUKE (ok so I AM exaggerating...) and erm... yeah you know what to do...**

**REVIEW PLEASE! I BEG YOU! REVIEW!**


	2. Chapter 2

I do not own D. Gray-man

/-/-/

Cross added the final ingredient into the pot. All done. Allen sat cuddled up in the corner of the old room as Cross chanted the final words of the spell. Suddenly, a green beam on light shot up and hit the ceiling as Cross fell to his knees in respect for the dead. Skin and flesh melted away from him as the pot continued to erupt and all at once. He was a skeleton and his bones rattled and all at once again, flesh and skin returned to its original form covering the bones. Allen watched the entire process in horror as Cross laughed mechanically with evil and glee. The vial began the swirl the contents inside showing moaning shadows and cries to match. Cross earned it. Power. But at a heavy price. Cross popped the vial open and some of the contents began to flow out.

"A fortnight is over. Now, go." Cross hissed with eyes of hatred and anger. Green shadows flowed out and vanished to their destination. Allen hugged himself even tighter and sniffed.

"_Everyone_."

/-/-/

"_So the little infant fell into a deep sleep.  
Among the grey ashes in the flames shining...First one, then two ...  
Surfaces numerous of your faces  
A thousand dreams trickle back to the earth  
On the night when the silver eyes were trembling, the shining you was born  
Across millions of years, the prayers have already returned back to the earth  
I will still continue to pray  
Please bestow upon this child your love  
Upon our joined hands, leave a gentle kiss_"

The music box ended its music as did the princess stop her singing. It was a fortnight. Everyone was tense. In the past few days, a majority of the servants had vanished in terror but the royals were indignant and refused to believe that they would die. But Lenalee had doubts. The royals were always too proud, too confident of themselves but Lenalee... She hated those eyes. The eyes that showed evil and lust for power. She shuddered and shut her eyes to forget about it. Tomorrow would be a new day and she would live, with her family, another day with smiles and it would all be just a dream. Yes, a dream.

/-/-/

"Oi."

"Nani baka usagi." Kanda growled at the upper bunk.

"You think everything's gonna be alright?

"Che, how would I know?" Kanda hissed and turned around to face the other side of the bed, back facing the candle light. Just then, the flame wavered, and then, it went out.

"Eh? I thought it usually takes half an hour for the candle to..."

"Baka usagi." Kanda shushed. His eyes glinted in the night.

"It's started." And screams started to fill the air.

/-/-/

"Hurry Lenalee!" Komui dragged Lenalee by the arm and dragged her as fast as he could. He gritted. He persuaded his father so many times for them to let them leave the palace but his father was too stubborn to see that they would die if they stayed here and now? It was too late for regrets.

"My music box!" Lenalee shouted upon realization and yanked herself free from the brother's grasp and ran back to her room.

"Lenalee, LENALEE!" Komui shouted as he fought against the crowd to follow his little sister. Stupid music box...

/-/-/

Kanda and Lavi ran out of the servant's quarters. A guard lay sprawled on the floor with his eyes lifeless and yet filled with fear. But it wasn't the time to freak out. Kanda took out a sword from the guard's belt and ran off dragging a very shocked Lavi who had just seen a corpse for the first time in his life. This was **NOT** the time to be paralysed by dead bodies either! Then he looked ahead. The Princess! Baka! That's not the right way out!

"Lenalee!" Komui followed after her. Great, just great. Kanda cringed. They would be here any minute now. This was not good.

"Lavi!" Kanda hissed.

"What?" Lavi shuttered still in shock. Kanda held him up and threw him across the floor.

"STOP PANICKING BAKA! OR DO YOU WANT TO END UP LIKE THE REST OF US HERE?" Kanda yelled. Lavi rubbed his head. Up ahead, there were footsteps running. Kanda ran up to Lavi and then threw him into the princess's room where Lenalee was getting her box and Komui was looking frantic.

"Get them through the servants' quarters! Lavi!" Kanda hollered as the door closed. Lavi groaned. His eyes then opened wide upon realization. He looked up to see the princess and her brother standing above him. He stood up and pushed them to the side of the room.

"This way your Highness!" he said breathing heavily as he pushed a portion of the wall to reveal a narrow corridor. Lavi then dragged the two into it and amidst the confusion, Lenalee dropped her music box.

"My music box!" Lenalee cried as she stuck her head out of the corridor. Lavi pushed her back in when he heard Yuu shouting outside.

"Hurry!" Kanda hissed as he saw guards outside running towards him. He held his sword into position as they approached.

"Answer boy, where is she?" a sword was held up to his neck.

"Che, I don't know." Kanda spat as he pushed the sword away with his own and slashed the guard's arm.

"Aw! Dammit!" Blood spurted out from his arm. The guard glared at him angrily. He grabbed Kanda by the neck and smashed his head against the door and released him. Kanda fell to the ground limp.

"Yuu!" Lavi shouted through the door. The guards shoved it open and trampled through. Looking around, they only saw a redhead boy with an eye-patch covering his right eye.

"Where is she boy?"

"Not here." Lavi grinned and lunged at him biting his arm making sure his teeth sank in.

"Argh!" The guard screamed in pain as he shook Lavi off. He fell to the ground and spat out blood from the previous wound.

"Your blood taste worse than a rotten fish, low-life scum. Lavi grinned whipping the guard's blood from his mouth making the guard angrier. He struck and Lavi fell into unconsciousness.

/-/-/

Outside, Komui was pulling his sister across the river covered in ice. As they passed through a bridge, Allen Walker happened to be above it.

"Master! They're getting away!" Allen shouted pointing towards the two. Komui looked behind in shock and glared at him before running away. Suddenly, Lenalee started screaming. It was Cross, right behind them and slipped to grab Lenalee's skirt dragging her down.

"You're not getting away little girl!" Cross hissed as he tried to pull her closer.

"No! Let me go!" Lenalee screamed. Komui tried to pull Lenalee away from Cross but he was too strong. When all hope was lost, the ice cracked right underneath Cross. There was a pause. The ice then collapsed totally underneath the wizard.

_God how much does he weigh? _Allen asked himself as he hopelessly watched Cross frantically reaching for Lenalee in vain as he slowly sunk into the water. The two quickly ran off as fast as they could before he could pop up again but in the end, only the small vial popped up to the surface. Allen jumped onto the ice and grabbed it free from the cold water. He thought for a moment about what to do now. He wasn't free from the curse, not yet, Cross was still alive.

"Well at least I can catch up to his debts..."

/-/-/

Komui, still holding onto his sister's hand was rushing against the enormous crowd in the station. His eyes scanned for a train. There! Komui started to surge faster as it started to move. He jumped onto the tracks with Lenalee and continued to run after the slow moving train. He was able to climb on as it was on a slow steady pace and the carriage was jam-packed with passengers. Lenalee continued to run. Komui held his hand out to Lenalee.

"Lenalee!" Komui shouted. She grabbed hold of his hand.

"Don't let go!" She shouted. Komui held her hand even tighter but it was in vain, Lenalee's hand slipped out like water as she fell back on the tracks and hit her head, making her fall unconscious. Komui looked in shock as the train pulled them further away. A scream pierced through the crowd. A scream of pain and anguish like no other.

"**LENALEE!!!!"**

/-/-/

_Ah... my head hurts... did they..._

Kanda snapped his eyes open. Daylight seeped through the broken stained glass windows and poured onto the palace floor. He groaned as he sat up. Next to him was a door. Kanda already knew where it would lead to. Kanda's heart was thumping against his rib cage. A thousand questions flooded into his head. Are they alive? Did they get away? If so, where are they? He pushed the door open. The place was a mess. Blood splattered here and there, the table was overturned and at the corner of the room, Lavi was still unconscious.

"Che."

A few moments later, Kanda splashed a bucket of cold water on him. Lavi snapped his eyes open.

"Ok! Ok! I'm up! Can't I just sleep a bit more before I start work!?" Lavi rubbed his eyes. His head then shot up realization.

"Yuu!" Lavi gasped which was followed by a slap on his cheek.

"They got away?"

"Of course!" Lavi grinned. Kanda turned around and walked off.

"Heh, I wonder where they are now..."

"That's up to them."

"Right..." Lavi murmured as he picked up the little music box that would never be able to play its music for a long, long time

/-/-/

Komui stumbled into his house in Paris. His face was red and downcast. He went on a drinking night.

"Komui!" Reever ran up to him as Komui stumbled in further.

"Komui, where were you? I heard the news; it's been 3 days since then! THREE DAYS! WHERE WERE YOU?"

"She's gone..." Komui whispered.

"Who?"

"Lenalee..." Komui replied hoarsely.

"With the rest of the family..."

Reever looked in horror. Now he knew why Komui was like this now, his entire family was gone... Even his sister...

"Com'on, you need rest..." Reever helped Komui up to his bedroom. When he finished. Reever came out and leaned against the wall.

"Lenalee..."

/-/-/ (10 years later)

"There's a fish factory up the road, it would split into two halfway though so whatever you do, do not, I repeat, **DO NOT** take the road to St Petersburg. You hear me? Lin, Lin are you listening to me?"

"I got it Madam." Lin smiled. She was donned in a scarf and an over-sized coat to keep her from the winter cold. Her black hair glistened down her back to the waist. The old hag grabbed Lin's scarf, "You've been a thorn in my flesh ever since you were brought here, acting like you're the Queen of Sheba unlike the nameless girl you are!! For the last ten years, I've fed you, I clothed you and I -"

"Kept a roof over my head..." Lin sighed as she finished off the sentence which had been mentioned for the 100th time. The old woman turned around with daggers.

"How is it, that you don't have a clue of who you were before you came to us,** when you can remember all that!**" she hollered as she swung the gate violently.

"But I do have a clue to-"

"I know, I know," the old woman smiled sarcastically as she snatched a pendant Lin was fiddling with and shoved it towards her face, "Together in Paris" she mimcked.

"So, you want to go to Paris to find your family huh?" Lin nooded in reply. The old woman chuckled.

"Little Miss Lin, it's time to take your place in line, in life and in line, and be grateful." and she shut the gate.

**"AND DON'T COME BACK!"**

/-/-/ (in St Petersburg)

"Hey have you heard?" a redhead with an eye patch covering his right eye beckoned a stranger to come closer.

"Heard what?"

"The princess, Lenalee, could there be a possibility that she's alive?"

"What? No kidding!"

"Trust me! All the corpses of the family were recovered except hers!"

"It can't be true!"

"I'll bet you a 100 bucks if she is! Komui from Paris, her brother, has offered a reward of ten million rubles for her!"

"Oh wow, whoever finds her has a gold mine in their hands!"

"I know!" the red head grinned. A man walked past about the same age as the red head. He had long hair tied up neatly other than the bangs on the side of his face. He whistled.

"Oi, gotta go." The red head grinned and followed a short distance behind the man who had whistled earlier until they reached a narrow alley.

"Oi Yuu, it's working! The plan! It's spread all over town!" Lavi grinned. Kanda gave Lavi a death glare.

"Che."

"Yeah yeah whatever, I'm gonna get that 10 million and make it rich! Come on, we got auditions in the palace which requires our judging." Lavi ran off leaving Kanda behind.

"_St Petersburg is gloomy!_" a woman in her forties started.

"_St Petersburg is bleak!_" another girl followed.

"_My underwear got frozen standing here all week!_"

"_Oh since the revolution, our lives have been so gray._" Everyone sang in chorus (other than Kanda).

"_Thank Goodness for the gossip that gets us through the day! Hey!_" everyone exploded with smiles and a dance.  
"_Have you heard?_"  
"_There's a rumour in St. Petersburg?_"  
"_Have you heard?_"  
"_What they're saying on the street?_"  
"_Although the Tsar did not survive,_" a merchant gossiped,  
"_One daughter may be still alive!_"

"_The Princess Anastasia!_"

"_But please do not repeat!_" a man shushed.

"_It's a rumour,_  
_A legend  
A mystery!  
Something whispered in an alleyway  
Or through a crack!  
It's a rumour  
That's part of our history."_

Kanda and Lavi just passed by the singing crowd into another alley

"_They say her Brother _

_Will pay a royal sum_" Another merchant selling glass bottles sang.

"_To someone who can bring the princess back!"_

As the two entered the alley, they met the Black Marketers trying to sell items to them. One went in front of Kanda.

"_A ruble for this painting!_

_It's Romanov, I swear!_"

Another held up a set of pyjamas to Lavi,

"_Count Yusopov's pyjamas!  
Comrade, buy the pair!_"

Yet another held a fur hat to Kanda,

"_I got this from the palace.  
It's lined with real fur!_"

Kanda shoved the two aside as Lavi avoided the rest and they all sang (except for Kanda),

"_It could be worth a fortune  
If it belonged to her!_"

Lavi ran up a small house,

"You got the theatre?" He asked impatiently. Kanda grunted meaning 'yes' to Lavi.

"Great! Everything's going according to plan! All we need is the-"

"Girl." Kanda muttered. Lavi looked at him in wonder.

"How did you know?"

"You've said it for the **thousandth** time already!"

Lavi laughed, "But think about it, no more forging papers, no more stolen goods, we'll have three tickets out of here, one for you, one for me and one for Lenalee!"

Kanda looked at him irritated.

"Che."

Both went out of the small house.

"_It's the rumour.  
The legend,  
The mystery!  
It's the Princess Anastasia who will help us fly!  
You and I friend will go down in history!  
We'll find a girl to play the part and teach her what to say,  
Dress her up and take her to Paree!  
Imagine the reward her dear brother will pay!  
Who else could pull it off but you and me?  
We'll be rich!_" Lavi sang holding out the tiny music box from ten years ago.

"_We'll be rich._" Kanda muttered in a funeral voice being forced to sing.

"_We'll be out!_"

"You soul will be out of your body if you don't stop singing." Kanda snapped.

Lavi ignored Kanda and continued,

"_And St. Petersburg will have some more to talk about!_"

The crowd started singing again,

"_SSH!  
Have you heard!  
There's a rumour in St. Petersburg?  
Have you heard?  
What they're saying on the street?  
Hey!  
Hey!  
Hey!  
Have you heard!  
There's a rumour in St. Petersburg?  
Have you heard?"_

"_Comrade, what do you suppose?_"

"_A fascinating mystery!_"

Lavi laughed,

"_The biggest con in history!_"

"_The princess Anastasia, alive or dead?_"

A window washer atop the streets of St Petersburg looked around,

"_Shhh... who knows?"_

There was a scream, it was Lavi.

"Kanda! Calm down! What's the matter with you? Christ, we're gonna be late!"

/-/-/

**R&R please!**


	3. Chapter 3

**I do not own D. Gray-Man... T_T**

* * *

"She says, "be grateful'... Well I am, **grateful to get away**!" Lin muttered through her breath as she walked on the snow-covered path until she reached a fork in the road. There was a sign to the right side lane. In clear letters, it read, 'St Petersburg'.

"Don't take the road to St. Petersburg, she says." Lin mimicked the old woman's hoarse voice, "Oh I know very well what's on the other road... Lin the orphan and a nobody forever..." she sighed toying with her necklace, "but if I go right," she stepped to the right side of the lane playfully, "maybe I can find..." she hesitated fiddling with her necklace. "Whoever gave me this necklace must have loved me..." Lin sighed...

"This is crazy, me? Go to Paris? I'm already crazy to talk to myself!" She was confused, which way should she go? What can she do? She finally threw her hands up in frustration.

"Send me a sign!" she shouted to the heavens as she sat on a pile of snow. "A hint! Anything" and a small golem popped out from another pile of snow next to her. It grabbed the scarf Lin was holding in her hand with its jaws and started flying around her playfully.

"Hey! Give it back!" Lin laughed as it flapped playfully, "I don't have time to play right now so if you please? I'm waiting for a sign" she tried to grab the scarf in her sitting position when she fell into the cold pile of white. It continued to fly around and went to the right lane to St. Petersburg.

"You! Gimmie that!" Lin hissed as she got back on her feet. She looked ahead. The road to St. Petersburg... and a flying golem carrying her scarf beckoning her to follow.

"Oh great, a **golem **wants me to go to St. Petersburg." Lin made a face. She looked at him. "Ok ok! I can take a hint!" Lin mumbled as she followed the golem who surprisingly didn't fly away with her scarf. She took it from his mouth, looked ahead at the road. It was a long one; you couldn't even see the other end of the road. Lin hesitated. Should she go? Or should she just stay?

"_Heart, don't fail me now!  
Courage, don't desert me!  
Don't turn back now that we're here  
People always say  
Life is full of choices  
No one ever mentions fear!  
Or how a road can seem so long  
How the world can seem so vast  
On this journey...to the past"_

_  
_She took the first step, then the next, and the next, until she became confident and smiled. _  
"Somewhere down this road  
I know someone's waiting  
Years of dreams just can't be wrong  
Arms will open wide  
I'll be safe and wanted  
Finally home where I belong  
Well, starting here, my life begins  
Starting now, I'm learning fast  
On this journey...to the past "  
_

As she passed by a house, she saw two children playing with each other and a couple watching them happily. _  
"__**Home, Love, Family**__  
There was once a time  
I must have had them too  
Home, Love, Family  
I will never be complete  
Until I find you..."  
_

She started spinning and kicking the snow into the air playfully as she walked down the road. _  
"One step at a time,  
One hope, then another  
Who knows where this road may go  
Back to who I was  
On to find my future,  
Things my heart still needs to know  
Yes, let this be a sign!  
Let this road be mine!  
Let it lead me to my past  
Courage see me through  
Heart I'm trusting you  
To bring me home...  
At last!"_

She opened her arms and heaved a sigh of relief. Goodbye, old life, hello new world because right in front of her, was St. Petersburg.

* * *

She stepped right in front of the counter, "One ticket to Paris please."

"Exit visa," the man behind the counter grumbled holding out his grubby hand to Lin.

"Exit visa?" Lin repeated.

"Ohhh... No, exit Visa, NO TICKET!" and he slammed the window missing an inch to Lin's nose to prove that he was not going to give her anything. Lin made a face; an old woman behind her looked irritated at the man for such disgusting behaviour. She beckoned Lin to come closer and she whispered into her ear.

"See, Lavi at the old palace, he can help, but I didn't tell you!" she hissed into her ear. Lin looked at her strangely.

"Right... thanks." Lin forced a smile at the old woman as she walked away.

* * *

"Nice, nice very nice..." Lavi forced a grin.

"And I look like Princess and... I dance like a feather."

"Okay, okay, thank you." Lavi scribbled on a long piece of paper, rejected.

"Next." Lavi called. It was a big mistake, the next girl looked like a hooker with a man's voice.

"Nii-san, it's me, Lenalee..." **he** said as **he** dropped **his** cloak revealing a stupid looking dress. Lavi banged his head against the table, it was going to be a loooong day, where was that pain-in-the-ass Yuu? Oh, yeah, Lavi switched jobs, now Yuu was forced outside to look for girls that look like Lenalee. Damn, he shouldn't have switched jobs, right now; he would rather be in the cold flirting with girls.

"Oh Nii-san..."

"NEXT!" rejected.

"Nii-san!-"

"NEXT!"

"Brother!"

"NEXT!"

The next one was beyond belief, it was a man.  
"We aren't looking for a prince! NEXT!"

Oh god, this was impossible. Lavi held an ice-pack up his head. "Next!"

* * *

Outside, Kanda was just slacking from his work.

"Che"

* * *

"NEEEXXXTTTT...." Lavi moaned. A small girl walked in.

"Mum told me to come here to audition..."

God are people really THAT desperate? Or do they have no common sense that Lenalee was 16 this year? PLEASE! THAT CHILD IS 9! Just then, the bell rang.

"YES!" Lavi cheered as his ice-pack fell off. Work's done but for the girl... Damn, countless girls in St. Petersburg, none of them are the right one.

* * *

"I'm telling you its game over, invested in the theatre and still no girl..." Lavi moaned to Kanda who was ignoring him.

"Well that was what I told **you **last year." Kanda muttered as he lighted the fire in the old palace.

"Ah well... looks like we got to keep searching." Lavi muttered.

* * *

It was old, not to mention lifeless. Lin thought. It must have been really grand last time until it was abandoned. Lin walked along the walls outside the old building looking for a proper way in. So far, all of them had been blocked with planks. The golem however, decided to squeeze through a gap in one of them and successfully made it through.

"Timcanpy!" Lin hissed as she peeped through the whole.

"Tim, get back here!" but he was nowhere in sight. She decided. She yanked on one of the boards which were soft and old from age. One last pull and she yanked it free causing her to lose her balance and fall to the ground. The board landed with a loud thunk.

* * *

Kanda looked up from his cold porridge. For one thing, Lavi never cooks it right and he thought he had heard a crash from out side the palace. He shrugged. Must be the wind but still... He stood up.

"What's wrong Yuu?" Lavi asked, Kanda's eyes glinted.

"Someone's here."

* * *

"Hello? Anybody home?" Lin's voice echoed through the gigantic hall. The place was covered in layers of dust from years and years ago. There was a huge dining table up ahead above the next small flight of stairs. The rug was faded with age as well. The dining table still had it's silverware on it neatly. Lin picked yup a plate and blew the dust away. She could she a bit of her reflection on it. Then she saw, an image of a young girl in an emerald dress dancing with an older man, her father most likely. She shook her head. Must be dreaming.

On a small table on the side of the room displayed a porcelain vase that was like the others, dusty. Lin whipped away the dust to see the design. There was a figure of a swan on the cover of the vase and pictures of bears on the centre. Carved beautifully with such craftsmanship, Lin thought. It looked... familiar... Timcanpy continued to fly around curiously to inspect the place.

"This place... It's like a memory from my dream..." she walked into another great hall. It was the ballroom. She floated down the stairs as though she knew it like an old friend ten years ago. Lin's mind was puzzled, how did she manage to walk down the steps so elegantly? And then 1... 2... 3... Lin's stepped onto the ground and started to dance. How did she know the steps? Timcanpy settled on the banister and watched as Lin sang and danced.

"_Dancing bears,  
Painted wings,  
Things I almost remember,  
And a song someone sings  
Once upon a December."_

_"Someone holds me safe and warm.  
Horses prance through a silver storm.  
Figures dancing gracefully  
Across my memory..."  
_  
She lifted her hands and like magic, dancers waltzed from the pictures above the wall and floated down to the ground and continued to do so. 2 couples landed onto the stairs and bowed to her which she returned politely. She proceeded to the floor and spun all around the place. A few girls surrounded her and gave her a ring, a necklace and she spun around wearing a beautiful emerald gown with a golden tiara on her forehead...

_"Someone holds me safe and warm.  
Horses prance through a silver storm.  
Figures dancing gracefully  
Across my memory..."  
_

She then spun again into the arms of a gentleman who waltzed her to another and then another. That person seemed so familiar... She felt as though he had taught her before...

_  
"Far away, long ago,  
Glowing dim as an ember,  
Things my heart  
Used to know,  
Things it yearns to remember..."  
_

She kept on waltzing into another and another and yet another gentleman's arms until the last one spun her and she turned to a man. A tall man dressed in a regal suit only for a king and a strong face that could lead an army.

_  
"And a song  
Someone sings  
Once upon a December_"

Once they finished, the man kissed Lin on the forehead like a loving father and walked backwards away from Lin as she bowed to him in respect and knelt to him with her gown spreading on the floor.

"HEY!" a voice shouted across the hall, Lin snapped out of her dream. It was a red-headed guy with an eye-patch and another guy with long hair tied in a ponytail. He looked like a girl at first but he was dressed in man's clothing.

"What are you doing over there?" Lavi shouted. Lin suddenly stood up and ran. Kanda jumped across the banister and onto the floor to chase after her. Lavi followed suit. She continued running to the other end of the hall.

"Hold it! Just – just stop right there!" Lin stopped to catch her breath. She turned around to look at the two.

"Just what do you think you're doing... here...?" Lavi drifted off as he saw her face. Her eyes glinted against the sunlight. The Lin's family portrait stood behind her. Timcanpy fluttered around Lavi before baring his fangs. Kanda lifted an eyebrow...

3... 2... 1...

"STRIKE!" Lavi yelled across the hall. Kanda sighed. Thought as much but there was something else... she looked amazingly like... Lenalee? Kanda widened his eyes as he jabbed a love-struck Lavi in his side.

"Ow! What was that for!?" Lavi snapped back. Kanda motioned with his eyes to Lin. Lavi looked, the picture of Lenalee right above her head... My god... no... Lavi looked at Kanda, both nodded. They have found her... Or is it?

"Are you Lavi?" Lin asked with a-matter-of-fact in her voice. Lavi chuckled, "Well perhaps but that all depends on whom you're looking for." He said as he walked up to her.

"My name is Lin and I need travel papers." She went closer to him and whispered, "They say you're the man to see even though I can't tell you who said that..." Lavi started going around her looking at her.

"And why are you circling me like that? What are you, a vulture in another life?" Lin raised he voice in annoyance. "I- I -I, I'm sorry Rin. I just-"

"Lin." Lin corrected him. "Lin." Lavi repeated. "Lin" She growled making sure it got into Lavi's head while Kanda couldn't give a small chuckle.

"Lin... it's just that you look an awful lot like... Erm, never mind!" Lavi grinned changing his mind. "You mentioned something about travel papers."

"Yes," Lin replied, still fiddling with her necklace. "I would like to go to Paris." That struck Lavi.

"You would like to go to Paris!?" Lavi smiled oh, this was great!

"Err... yes." Lin replied starting to doubt Lavi and what's up with that feminine girl behind him? He looks so anti-social and wait, TIMCANPY IS RESTING ON HIS SHOULDER! That was NOT normal. Kanda lifted an eyebrow at the yellow golem. Tim obviously took a liking to him. Lavi pulled Kanda behind him.

"Right... nice golem..." Lavi muttered sarcastically and turned around to face Lin again. "Now let me ask you **Lin**, was it? Do you have a last name that goes with that?"

Lin looked at him strangely, "Well, actually," Lin chuckled, "This is going to sound crazy but... I don't know my last name... I was found, wandering around when I was 6 years old..."

"And erm, before that, before you were six..." Kanda muttered in his get-to-the-point voice.

"Look," Lin shot back, "I know it's strange but I don't remember, I have very few memories of my past."

Lavi made a face for a split second, "Hmm... that's... Perfect." He spat out.

"But I do have one clue, and that is Paris." Lin said holding up her necklace.

"Paris." Lavi repeated.

"Right." Lin said, "so can you two help me or not?" Lavi turned around to Kanda who was holding the golem in his hand and made a signal to him for some tickets before turning back to Lin.

"Erm, sure would like to but there's hardly enough cuz, we're going to Paris ourselves." Lavi felt a bunch of papers reach his hand behind his back and pulled it out in front of him. Wait, why are there tickets of the Russian circus? Lavi shrugged and threw it on the floor. "Well actually, we got three tickets here," Lavi grinned in front of Lin's eager face and toyed with her by waving them here and there out of Lin's hungry hands. "However, the third one is for her... Lenalee." Lavi held his hand towards the portrait with a young girl and her family.

"Oh..." Lin looked at the girl as she gazed back. Lavi dragged her away before her heart started to sink. "We are going to reunite the Grand Duchess Lenalee with her brother, Komui." Lavi grinned at her.

"Kanda, tell me, what do you see in her?"

"The same purple eyes..." Kanda muttered in annoyance as he listed down everything.

"The Lee's eyes!" Lavi cheered.

"Her fathers smile..."

"Her mother's chin! And oh look!" Lavi grabbed Lin's hands, "she has the same hands as her grandmother... and then the same age, the same physical type..."

"Are you trying to tell me that **I** am Lenalee?" Lin laughed with disbelief.

"All I'm trying to tell you is that we have looked all over the country and not one of them looks as much as like the Grand Duchess as you do." Lavi snapped. "I mean... look at the portrait!" he pointed to another one but Lin didn't take note of it.

"I knew you were both crazy but now I think you both are mad." Lin said and walked away but Lavi energetically caught up with her.

"Why? You don't remember what happened to you! No one knows what's happened to Lenalee!" Lavi laid out the comparison list to her.

"You're looking for you family, in Paris, and her **only** family is in Paris!" Lavi led her back to the portrait. "Ever thought about the possibility?"

Lenalee looked at the portrait (being forced to) "That **I** could be royalty?" she asked still in disbelief. Lavi nodded.

"Well I don't know! It's hard to imagine you're a duchess when you're sleeping on the damp floor..." Lin said recalling her days at the orphanage. "But yeah, I guess every lonely girl would like to imagine themselves as a princess..."

"And somewhere... one little girl is..." Lavi said. Kanda sighed... This was useless, looks like they got to use another way to get her on board the train on time.

"Really wish we could help." Kanda said dumping Timcanpy into Lin's hands and quickly grabbing Lavi's shoulder and dragging him away, "But the third ticket IS for the grand duchess Lenalee... good luck." Kanda forced it out pulling Lavi away.

Lin sighed, what a waste... but what if...

* * *

The two boys walked down the stairs towards the exit.

"Why didn't you tell her about the brilliant plan!?" Lavi gritted through his teeth.

"All she wants is to go to Paris, why give her a third of the reward money?"

"I'm telling you, we're walking away too fast!" Lavi was shouting by now and Kanda clamped his mouth shut.

"I got it all under control; just wait... walk a little slower..." Lavi looked at Kanda puzzled, so THAT'S how scheming he was... Punk...

3...2...1...

"Kanda! Lavi!" a voice shouted across the hallway Lavi looked at Kanda in awe as he smirked. Success. Kanda turned around with a 'what-I'm-busy' look on his face.

"Yes?" his replied smugly.

"If I don't remember who I am then who's to say that I'm a princess or a duchess or whatever she is right?" Lin said hurriedly as she caught up with them.

"Right... Carry on." Lavi turned around grinning.

"Yeah! And if I'm not Lenalee, then her brother would know right away and it would all be a honest mistake!"

"Sounds possible..." Kanda said.

* * *

(inside Kanda's mind)

BUHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!! RIGHT IN THE PALM OF MY EVIL PLAN! BUHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!! LITTLE PRINCESS! THE MONEY'S MINE! BUHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!

(The evil prince...)

* * *

(back to reality)

"But **IF** you are Lenalee then you would finally know who you are and have your family back!" Lavi finished.

"You know, he's right. Either way it gets you to Paris!" Kanda smirked.

"Right!" Lin grinned as she shook hands with Lavi and squeezed it.

"Ow!" Lavi let go and shook his hand. He ran into the middle of the hall, "May I present! The royal Grand Duchess Lenalee..."

"Look out! We are going to Paris!"

"Erm, the golem stays." Lavi said.

"What are you talking about the golem goes!"

"No, the golem stays."

"I say he's going."

"I'm allergic to golems."

"Then that's your problem..."

And that's how it all started.

* * *

**I'm so sorry! This took an awfully long time because I'm busy (and lazy) but I hope you enjoy it! R&R!**


	4. Chapter 4

I do not own D. Gray-Man

/-/-/

A young lad looked through a terribly long list of expensive items with an ice-pack resting above his head. He looked terribly sick with caramel hair hanging from the sides of his face meeting a short end. His gray eyes gave off a mysterious look on his face.

"And that is the last bill..." He stared while speaking to himself, "I hope... Damn that bastard, disappearing to the depths of that river and leaving all the bills to me..." he sighed holding up a vial, green contents swirled inside like it always did for the past ten years, "and this can't even give me stale bread..." he sighed once again taking his ice-pack off. He was about to throw it away when he noticed something strange, there was a caramel colour at the bottom of the pack.

"CRAP! THE DYE CAME OFF!" he clamped his own mouth before he could scream and make the people outside the old palace wonder if it was haunted or there was a thief inside. He quickly calmed himself down as he touched his wet hair, just as expected, the dye came off... For the sixth time this week, and it was only a Tuesday. White hair now showed at the top until about halfway when the colour changed to caramel. He sighed, this was the worst – wait, no paying debts for another person was the worst, the hair dye came in second, well, at least the makeup didn't give that much problem. Food was the third problem for ten years. He took out a pack of cards.

"Ah my dear lovely cards... you have done so much..." he smiled although he himself thought it was crazy stroking cards like that but indeed it had done a lot. It helped him to pay everything. He went to a basin filled with cold water and washed his face. Face makeup came off revealing a blood-red scar running down his left eye.

Oh yes, now you know, it is Allen Walker.

Allen gasped like always at the cold water touching his skin sending shocks all over. He never got used to the water; even the water last time when he worked in the palace wasn't as bad as this. Even so, he was thankful for it. The last strands of caramel turned back into its original white colour and the makeup was fully washed off. Ignoring the spillage on the floor, he placed a new set of dye (red this time) and his usual makeup just enough to cover the scar on his face. He grinned, Ten years and his two childhood friends had not seen him even though they lived in the same building. That was expected though, the palace was indeed a big place, good enough for you to get lost when one is playing hide and seek and go missing for hours and Allen was living in the secret rooms instead of the grand, royal rooms. He was rather not used to that type of bedding yet and most of them were torn anyway with stuffing coming out. His ears pricked, the two were in the ballroom; and there was another person. A girl. They would just go away but Allen was curious, he sneaked through a passage way leading to the ballroom with the green vial strapped on his waist. He had dared not throw it away least Cross came back and killed him for such a thing. There was a small panel but big enough for Allen to peek through and see what was going on. There was Lavi, Kanda and a girl. But the girl looked sickeningly familiar...

"May I present! The royal Grand Duchess Lenalee..."

His stomach lurched; Lenalee is dead, dead, dead, dead. As dead as a doornail. Just like the rest of her family so how could she be...

Allen jumped and clamped his mouth. A green shadow emerged from the vial resting on his waist, it was like a bat, a green bat but it looked more like a dragon, yes, a little nasty fella. Allen's eyes widened in confusion. What on Earth was **IT** doing here? Oh great, after all these years this little creep awakens just because blabber mouth claims she's the princess!? This is ridiculous! Allen jumped again as the shadow hissed at him for doubting. Allen cringed. Okay... right... if this thing is here... that means... SHE'S THE PRINCESS!

Suddenly it felt as though gravity increased greatly on him and he yelped as he was pulled through the ground. Electric shocks passed through him at one stage and he nearly lost his head to an ancient dinosaur jaw by an inch. But the worst part was the fiery pit in below the earth's crust and Allen was literally screaming his lungs dry in panic as he was pulled by his waist into the depths of the underworld. The terrifying journey slowed down when he reached an unknown place with small spheres far apart. When he saw that he was about to collide into one of them, he screamed a silent one as he ran out of breath.

"Ow..." Allen groaned. The hair dye was all over his top and his makeup wore off. This was the SEVENTH time this week; and it was only a Tuesday.

"WHO DARES TO INTRUDE ON MY SOLITUDE!?" a voice echoed across the place. Allen frantically looked around for an exit but there was none. A figure came up and grabbed Allen by the collar. Allen wheezed and chocked, squeezing his eyes shut from the tears. He felt the grip loosen, "Allen?" the voice said in surprise. The boy thumped on the ground as the figure let go and he opened his eyes. To his horror, he saw the last person he wanted to see. If he chose between the devil and that person, he would go to the devil.

"Cross?" Allen squeaked, "You're alive!" (You mean after all this years you're STILL not dead!?) Cross chuckled "As a matter of speaking!" and his eyeball popped out of his socket. Literally and it landed on Allen's hand. At that moment he felt like squashing it so that his master would go half-blind but according to the contract, the servant is not allowed to do anything to the master... Why did he take the contract? Oh yes, he loved magic when he was a boy. End of story.

"Something's happened..." Cross hissed as he took the mucky solid back into its original socket and popped it back into place by tapping the side of his head with his palm. "I knew it," he continued, "I could feel the Dark Forces stirring!" Allen opened his mouth before he could think, "That's because I saw her, Lenalee!" Cross's jaw dropped, literally. It now hit the ground with a soft thud. "Alive?" Allen cringed in disgust, it was still speaking!? "Err... Sir, your lips..." "That Lee brat!" Cross hissed. "Yeah ain't that the kick in the head, I guess a curse just ain't what it used to be huh sir?" Cross snapped his jaw into place earning another cringe from Allen. "THAT'S why I'm stuck here in void, the curse is unfulfilled!" Cross threw his hands in the air unconsciously and his left hand detached itself, flying to a pillar. Allen clamped his mouth from barfing but for Cross, that was the last straw.

He broke down.

And cried.

As for Allen, he wished he could have had taped it and used it against him so that he could get the hell out of here and be free of the contract. "Look at me! I'm falling apart!" Cross moaned, "I'M A WRECK!" _Well at least you don't have to pay someone else's debt!_ Allen screamed inside his head. But at the same time, he felt sorry for Cross as he lay on the floor. He picked up his hand and went to his master, "You know, considering all this years, you still look pretty good!" His master continued moaning waving his attached arm in the air. "Sir you do, you do!" Allen forced a smile out of pity. "Really?" Cross asked, "Sir does this face look like it would lie to you?" Allen pulled out his Innocent-face-while-playing-poker look. Then Allen said the truth, "Come on! For a minute you had your old spark back!"

"Before, I had lost the gift from the dark forces!" Cross hissed back to his sour mood, "And the key to my powers!" "What you mean this vial?" Allen held up the container to Cross.

"Where did you get that!?" Cross looked at Allen with terrifying glee. "Oh, I found it." Allen put flatly, "GIVE IT TO MEEEEEEE!!!" Cross cried like a child receiving his first Christmas gift and snatched the item from Allen's hand. "Alright! Alright! Don't get so grabby!" Cross snatched his detached hand as well and popped it back into place, "My old friend, together again!" he placed the vial softly against his cheek and started laughing evilly, "Now my dark purpose will be fulfilled and the last of the Lee family will DIE!" the vial shot out a green lightning, Allen backed against the wall.

"In the dark of the night I was tossing and turning  
And the nightmare I had was as bad as can be –  
It scared me out of my wits --  
A corpse falling to bits!" and Cross broke apart and started going all over the place.  
"Then I opened my eyes  
And the nightmare was...me!!" Now Allen agreed with that, Cross was a nightmare enough to scare himself out of his wits. Cross placed himself back in a flash.

"_I was once the most mystical man in all Russia.  
When the royals betrayed me they mad a mistake!" _To be honest, Allen thought the royals did a very wise thing by firing a crazy idiot. It was just that little Allen was wayyyy to naive to figure that out._  
"My curse made each of them pay  
But one little girl got away!  
Little Lee, beware,  
Cross is awake!" _Bugs started to crawl out of the walls and seemed to be joining in. Allen wondered, did he actually practice this song?

"In the dark of the night evil will find her" HOLY CRAP! SINGING BUGS! Allen could have made a fortune out of this!  
"In the dark of the night just before dawn!  
Aah..."

"Revenge will be sweet  
when the curse is complete!"

"In the dark of the night!"

"_She'll be gone!" _Allen wondered, Cross must have been REALLY BORED to train bugs to sing and place the disco lights, the whole place was lighted up!

_  
"I can feel that my powers are slowly returning!" _A small bug tried to bite Allen's shoe, he simply threatened to squash it if it didn't go away by putting his feet right above it with his evil poker face.

_  
"Tie my sash and a dash of cologne for that smell!"_

_  
"As the pieces fall into place" _Cross took a black wigand placed it on his head combing in front of a mirror, from the reflection, what everyone saw was Lenalee...

_  
"I'll see her crawl into place!" _He turned around and scared the living hell out of everyone.

_  
"Dasvidanya, Lenalee, your grace, farewell!"_

"_In the dark of the night terror will strike her!"  
_

"_Terror's the least I can do!"_

"In the dark of the night evil will brew.  
Ooh!"

"Soon she will feel that her nightmares are real." Forget about HER nightmares; just get me out of here! Allen's head screamed while he looked totally cool watching a free show on the outside.  
_  
"In the dark of the night"_

"She'll be through!"

"In the dark of the night  
Evil will find her  
Find her!  
Ooh!  
In the dark of the night terror comes true.  
Doom her!" DOOM ME!

_"My dear, here's a sign –"_

"It's the end of the line!"  
_  
"In the dark of the night...  
In the dark of the night...  
In the dark of the night..."_ Cross placed his vial on a stand; the green shadows emerged and flew around him.

_"Come my minions,  
Rise for your master,  
Let your evil shine!  
Find her now,  
Yes, fly ever faster"_

"In the dark of the night...  
In the dark of the night...  
In the dark of the night..."

"She'll be mine!"

/-/-/

A large black train passed on its tracks emitting smoke almost blacker than the vehicle it self, inside one of those black carriages, two idio- (ahem) con men and a girl were inside. Lavi was sitting inside a compartment filling up the contents of their fake papers which were marked down in blue ink. He was grinning like an idiot; Kanda went out of the cramped place for a moment while Lin was just slouching on the other side of the same compartment. The door, opened, it was Kanda, he went in and was about to sit opposite Lin but he heard a strange small rumbling. It was Timcanpy, baring its teeth showing 'back-off-I-came-here-first!' expression. Kanda growled and moved next to Lin, as far as he could from her though. Lin started fiddling with her necklace, "Stop fiddling with that thing! God, you annoy me! You're supposed to be Grand Duchess and yet you're not acting like one!" Kanda snapped. Typical, annoyed with everything. Lin only slouched even more down her seat. "How is it that you know about what Grand Duchess do or don't do?" Lin muttered, "We make it our business to know! Now sit up straight!" Kanda snapped back. He sighed, "Look, we're just trying to help." Lavi looked up from the travel papers with an eyebrow raised. Yeah right, Kanda DOES want the money as well so that he could go home to Japan. Lin sighed, "Kanda so you really think I'm royalty?" "What? You backing out from Paris?" Kanda hissed. "He means yes." Lavi said from behind the papers still. Kanda shot a glare at him, "THE STOP BOSSING ME AROUND!" Lin shouted loud enough so that the people in the next carriage could hear.

"That girl has a mind of her own..." Lavi chuckled, "Shut up, I hate women..." Kanda muttered under his breath, Lenalee shot a glare and looked in the opposite direction. Lavi grinned, that's 10 to none.

/-/-/

"Che, I'm not going in you idiot!"Kanda hissed at Lavi who was urging him to apologise, again. "Just go!" and Lavi shoved him into the carriage, Lin looked at them puzzled, "Kanda wants to say something to you!" "Baka Usagi!" and the door slammed shut. Silence filled the air. "If you have something to say, say it, if not then you can just go away." Lin said breaking the silence only to be filled with even more silence.

"Look, I think we both got off on the wrong foot..." Kanda muttered with the most insincere tone one could ever find in their lifetime, "Yes and I think so to;" Lin said still reading a book, "But I appreciate your apology." "Since when did I say anything about an apology?" "Look, don't talk anymore okay; it's going to make me even more upset!" Lin snapped back and looked at the window.

"You think you'll miss it?" Lin asked. "Miss what? Your talking?" Kanda said annoyingly, "No!" Lin shot back, "Russia."

"Nope."

"But it was your home."

"It was a place I once lived, end of discussion." Kanda said remembering Japan.

"Then you must intend on making Paris your true home,"

"What is it with you and homes?" Kanda stood up almost shouting.

"Well, for one thing, it's something that every normal person wants and you know-"

"What?"

"Oh just forget it!" Lin seethed as she headed to the door, "Bunch of idiots..." Lavi entered by chance, "Oh good it's you, could you please remove him from my sight!" Lin begged in a high manner of fact. "What did you do to her!" Lavi shot at Kanda, "Me! It's her!" "Hah!" Lin scoffed and walked off. For Timcanpy, he started to take a liking to Lavi and an annoyance to Kanda from all the fights and was now toying in Lavi's palm.

"Oh, an unspoken attraction!" Lavi teased rubbing Tim's head.

"Che, bunch of goons..." and Kanda walked off in the opposite direction. "Ridiculous."


	5. Chapter 5

**I DO NOT OWN D. GRAY-MAN**

* * *

Lavi sighed as he walked around the carriage, if only the trip was so much smoother... Kanda was gritting his teeth, he may be a vulgar person but he doesn't hit girls. Thank goodness, especially when it comes to Li- wait no, the Grad Duchess Lenalee, fake or real, it doesn't matter. Just convince the Head of Paris and all will be well. Until he finally realises it. The con, that is, but Lin would have to survive by herself if she was a fake and Kanda would be in Japan while Lavi? Lavi would most probably write a book about it and be twice as rich with the book and travel all over the world. Great idea. Great? No, terrific.

"Lavi, you sly fox." He chuckled to himself as he continued walking around the carriage. A group of people passed by him talking about their travel papers.

"The markings..."

* * *

Outside the carriage, the air turned extremely suffocating with murder as a whole colony of dragons with the colour of an evil green and about the size of an average palm flew about heading towards the carriage looking for a certain princess to kill...

* * *

Kanda walked along the corridor not thinking about anything in particular other then the little annoying girl now sleeping in the compartment they were given. Che, of all the girls in the world it had to be an annoying one. One that had a golem that bites.

His thoughts were broken when a certain red-head suddenly rushed by and dragged him his collar. "Che! Let me go!" "Shut up Yuu! This is an emergency!" Lavi puffed as he continued running along the corridor until he reached their compartment outside with a sleeping Lin inside. "What is it?" Kanda cursed in his most colourful language in Japanese under his breath. "Yuu..." "STOP CALLING ME THAT!" "The markings, the government changed it to red!" Lavi whispered so that no eavesdropper would hear as he waved the one with the blue markings on. The fake ones they had. Kanda paused, already on his feet. He breathed, "WHY THE HELL DIDN'T YOU CHECK THEM EARLIE-" Lavi quickly covered Kanda's mouth in case people came out wondering what all the noise was. "We got to move to the baggage car, quickly," Lavi hissed and rushed in to get their bags. "Wake her up and her quick about it!" He hissed to Kanda as he got the last of the luggage in his two hands. Kanda sighed, he told him, oh yes he told him a long time ago but he wouldn't listen, nope, not at all and now? We ended up in the baggage department, how nice.

Timcanpy looked outside the train, was it just him or were there really green monsters flying about? He bared his teeth as he sensed danger but one monster came by and scared the living yellow out of him by making the scariest face a monster could ever make.

"Oi," he shook her rudely. Lin groaned in annoyance and her hand flung into the air **'incidentally'** hitting Kanda, wait, that wasn't the correct word, she **slapped** him. Kanda cringed as he tried to keep his balance while cupping his nose with two hands, "bitch" he muttered under his breath so only he could hear. Lin woke up to her senses as she heard the impact of hand-meeting-face-with-full-force. "Oh I'm so sorry! I thought you were Kanda!" She gasped and looked for the poor soul who got Lin's 'slap of love'. Her face fell when she saw Kanda still cupping his hands to his nose, sitting on the chair. "Oh, it's you, that's okay then..." Kanda could think of the most colourful words right now but refrained from it. "We got to go somewhere now, Your Highness." Kanda spat the last part out with annoyance. "Please." Lin looked at him in disgust, "Where are we going?" "Shut up! You almost broke my nose!" Kanda growled as he went after Lavi with the rest of the baggage. "Men are such babies..." Lin muttered. Kanda swore he would have suffocated her right now but then again, bring her to Paris, 'reunite' her with her brother, get the cash, and then kill her while no one's looking! Brilliant.

* * *

Lavi pushed through the door into the baggage car with his shoulder. It did nicely and he settled down along with the luggage that was in his hand. Kanda followed, the place was cold, but he could stand it. "Good enough." He muttered. Lavi rubbed his arms, "Are you crazy? She'll freeze!" "She can thaw in Paris." Kanda grinned. It was delightful to think about her freezing to death. Lavi looked at Kanda. Sadist was the only word suitable now.

"Baggage car?" Lin said with a suspecting voice. Kanda merely shrugged while Lavi turned to her and forced a grin. "There wouldn't be anything wrong with our papers now would there?" Lin smirked. "Erm... No! Of course not! It's just that..." Lavi tried to find the correct words to say when Kanda cut in, "We just hate to see you forced to mingle among those... commoners!" _And I would love to see you freeze to death here. _No one saw Timcanpy as he lay at the bottom of the door growling at the green light showing underneath.

Outside, the green monsters went to the back of the baggage car to unfasten the chain connecting the car itself to the rest of the carriages.

A sudden jerk alerted the trio that there was something wrong, Lavi cringed as the back door tore itself from the car and revealed the Dining car going further and further away. "There goes the dining car." Lavi sighed. Kanda and Lin however, were in a messy situation. Kanda was on top on Lin held down by a large chest of god knows what, drugs perhaps? "Get off me!" Lin wheezed, "I'm trying!" Kanda gritted his teeth as he got the chest off and stood up quickly dusting himself. Lavi ran to the front of the car and peeked through the little window, "Kanda! Someone has wrecked our engine!" he shouted as he saw the hot glow coming from the stove. Kanda opened the front door and jumped on to the chain taking his coat off and throwing it to Lin, "Something's not right, I'll go check." And he climbed up the ladder with ease, "Wait here, I'll check it out!" and he went on top of the coal shaft, he saw the chimney almost on fire itself as it shot out a tremendous amount of smoke, he balanced his way to the driver's place and jumped in. It was empty, but the engine was going crazy. The pressure meter broke and the engine shot out a flame that nearly turned Kanda's arm into roast meat. Not good.

"We're going way too fast!" Lin shouted at the back while Kanda made his way to where they were. "Nobody's driving this train!" Kanda yelled among the roar of the engine, "We're gonna have to jump!" Lin flinched, "DID YOU SAY JUMP!?" Lin yelled back as Kanda shoved open the side door wide only to see the ground a hundred feet below as the train travelled at a high speed above the bridge. "After you!" Lin gritted his teeth; this was bad, "Fine, we separate the car." Lavi suggested behind them. Unfortunately, the little green minions heard them and hardened the link between the baggage car and the driver's one. Kanda jumped onto it and shouted to the two, "Pass me a wrench, axe, ANYTHING!" Lavi passed a hammer to Kanda who started working on it. Inside, Timcanpy bit on Lin's sleeve and dragged her to a box labelled, 'DYNAMITE'. Lin grinned, Tim, you're the best.

Kanda gritted his teeth as he swung the hammer onto the link repeatedly until the head came off. He cursed, "COME ON! IT NEED SOMETHING BETTER!" and a hand carrying a lighted dynamite stick was held in front of him, Kanda looked up, it was Lin, "That'll work..." He muttered snatching the stick from Lin's hands and balanced it on the link. The trio took cover. Lin held onto Tim tightly so that he wouldn't be swept away.

3...

"GO GO GO!" Lavi shouted as the three hid behind a pile of luggage.

2...

"What do they teach you in those orphanages?" Lavi asked Lin still waiting in anticipation for the big bang

1.

BOOM

The front of the car blew up as the engine car sped ahead as the baggage car continued to speed fro the force of the engine earlier. Then Lavi spotted something, the break. "BREAK!" Lavi screamed in all the excitement and grabbed the stick. It was stuck, "Pull harder!" Lin shouted. It broke.

There was a pause within the three.

"When you said, 'BREAK', which 'break' were you referring to?"

"Err... we got plenty of track so it'll coast to a stop." Lavi grinned despite the two harsh glares shooting like laser beams to his insides. There was a tremor, and a large green monster tore the bridge. Kanda and Lin still continued to glare at Lavi, "Any ideas, smartass?" "Err... no?" Kanda cursed as he looked around, then, he saw a chain.

"Lavi." Kanda said as he grabbed the chain and ran to the back of the car. "Wha- Woah!" Lavi yelped as he stumbled across some load of baggage. While he was still recovering, Kanda smoothly balanced himself underneath the car with the hook still on top. "Pass me the chain." It was given, by Lin. "Not you!" "Lavi's busy at the moment." Lin said with a smug look on her face. Kanda looked in irritation, "Che," and he took it from her, wrapped it around the grappling beneath until he heard a noise, he looked ahead and saw a wooden plank flying towards his face. Fortunately, Lin heard it as well and pulled him up and out of harms way as a few more planks flew by. The heard a thunk, Kanda looked back to see an old tree getting hit by those planks followed by a fall. Lin cringed at the sight, "And to think that could have been you." Lin commented as she walked away while Kanda hauled himself back up. He dusted himself, "If we live through this, remind me to thank you." He muttered.

Lin cringed, they were getting closer to the bridge by the second, "Well," she gulped, "Here goes nothing!" and she pushed the chain together with Kanda. Both looked at it with hope that it would catch onto one of the boards. It did, and the track behind them flew up for a bit causing the train to jerk violently and then it derailed sideways and continued skidding. The side door faced to where the back door once was. All took their baggage, gulped, breathed, unconsciously held hands, and jumped.

* * *

Cross looked through a circle of green smoke which showed everything that was going on. Lavi was going rattling about the horrendous train ride. _"I hate trains... Remind me never to take one again..." _

Cross curled up his fist, he could kill someone right now, "HGHDSGJBURNCUCBNJWERF!" he screamed as he detached his own head and banged it on to the ceiling. Allen looked in disgust, "Whoa, take it easy there," Allen sighed as his master banged onto the table, "Really, you should watch your blood pressure, the old palace butler you remember? Just keeled over one day, mid-mangle." And a thumb popped out, "Stress, it's a killer sir, and he's a vegetarian, no meat, no bloody." And the thumb snapped back into place. Cross on the other end, was not listening, "HOW COULD I LET HER ESCAPE!" He smashed an old skull into bits. Allen chuckled, "Hm, your right, it's very upsetting sir, well, I guess the vial's broken," he said as he picked it up to examine it before throwing it away. Cross gasped as the thing flew into the air, he got up to the direction where it went but tripped, "You idiot!" and his right hand took off like a rocket with only the veins linking to the main body. It landed perfectly and like a rubber band, the veins pulled the hand back to where it belonged, with the vial of course.

He growled, "Now take it easy sir, just remember your stress." Allen smiled in front of Cross face, "I sold my soul for this." Cross pulled Allen down by pulling his hair, "Gack!" Allen, chocked in surprise, "My, life, my very existence, depends on it, and you..." he laughed manically, "almost destroyed it." He glared. Allen knew that he was in perfect danger, "Okay! Okay! Alright! I got it! You like it, you bought it!" he squeaked, "See that you remember! You miserable brat!" Cross seethed and let go of Allen's neck. He gasped for air quickly as he landed on the floor. "Oh sure blame the cursed ones, what are we, easy targets?" Allen muttered. "What did you say?" Cross turned around and glared at him. Allen gulped and quickly got to his feet making a mock position of a solider saluting, "Lenalee sir, just wishing I could do the job for you! I'd give her a ha! And a hiya! And then I'll kick her sir." Allen showed a few chops and ended with a small kick like an innocent little boy. "Oh ho, I have something else in mind, something more... enticing, something, really... cruel..." and the sound of something like chalk squeaking against the chalk board could be heard as Cross scratched his nail on the vial.

_And that could have been me. _Allen sighed.

* * *

**So sorry this came in late! And this chapter is short because I don't really think I should add in too much stuff into one so anyways! I'll TRY to update soon but I got a busy week next week onwards so not really likely sorry! R&R!**


	6. Chapter 6

**I do not own D. Gray-man.**

* * *

"Are we going to walk to Paris?"

"No your Grace, we are taking a boat in Germany."

"Oh... so we are walking to Germany!"

"No, your Grace, we are taking a bus..."

"A bus..." she sighed, "That's nice." Lin smiled with a hint of sarcasm as they continued walking to wherever they were supposed to be going.

"Girls of Parie! Lavi's on his way!" "Why that's bad news for them," Lin muttered, "Lavi," Kanda started but Lavi wasn't listening, "thy eyes, shine like sapphires! Your hair glows against the beautiful moonlight!" "Lavi-"

"Even the tower of Paris cannot compare itself to you!" "Lavi!" "And the best of all the ladies is..." "LAVI!" "The Emperor's first cousin! Bridget Fay!" and Lavi toppled over the wooden beam and met with the cold river.

"Well that was a nice swim." Lavi grinned shaking the water out of his hair like a dog splashing water on everyone. "Che, watch it!" Kanda snapped. "I thought we were going to see the Emperor himself!" Lin thought aloud, "Why are we going to see his cousin?" Kanda sighed, Lavi ruined it.

"Kanda?" Lin turned around demanding for an answer. "No one see's the Emperor himself before going through his cousin first." Kanda muttered. Lin looked blankly at Kanda; she lifted her hands in the air to make a X sign.

"No way. Nope, not at all," "Lin..." Kanda tried to urge her, "No one ever told me that I had to prove I was the Grand Duchess! See him personally, sure! But LIE!" "How would you know if you're lying?" Kanda snapped. "What if it's true?" "Whatever..." she muttered and walked back to the bridge where Lavi was drying off on one side, she moved to the other and sighed.

Lavi sighed, Kanda wasn't the type who could convince people in the first place... he twirled the rose in his hand by the stalk and walked over to Lin's side, and handed the rose to her gently who took it absent-mindedly and twirled it between her fingers.

"Tell me Milady, what do you see?" Lavi asked as they both looked at themselves through the reflection on the river, Lin sighed, "I see a skinny little nobody, with no past, and no future." And she threw the rose into the river and let it flow away. Lavi shook his head and lifted her chin up to meet his eyes, "I see and engaging and fiery young woman, who on the number of occasions have shown regal command equal to any royal in the world!" Lavi spoke with charm as he swept his hand to express himself as they looked back into the water. "And we both have our own share of royalty," he looked at her, still in the serious and charming mode, "you see my dear, both of us worked in the imperial palace." he whispered.

_(Flashback)_

"_Now, straighten your back my dear, yes, very good! Now let's see if you can walk while balancing these books on your head." A lady's voice was heard, "but it's so heavy!" a young girl complained, "Now, now my dear, ladies of the palace do not complain, they face it till the very end." The mentor whispered. _

"_Wow, this is so cool!" Lavi whispered to Kanda as the looked through a crack in the wall as they kept their voices low, Kanda just stared at the mentor with the beautiful young lady, if only a servant boy could rise to that level..._

_(End of flashback)_

Kanda sighed, Usagi sometimes really made things useless into something that is of use, the two boys would always look through during their free time and watch the young lady study, Sebastian taught her the academic items, Madam Rose would teach her etiquette, and they learned and each memorised everything without realizing it. Kanda was interested in the history, literature and the books while Lavi memorised the etiquette (but did not practice it mind you) and even though they denied that they liked the lessons, they still went back to the crack in the wall during their free time until the day Sebastian caught them sneaking around.

_(Flashback)_

"_Why are you two watching the young princess in the middle of her lessons?" Lavi and Kanda jumped as they heard the familiar voice of history and literature. "Monsieur Sebastian!" Lavi greeted trying to hide the surprise. Kanda avoided eye contact with the man, "Are you really that interested in learning?" Sebastian asked as he raised an eyebrow, the two hesitated for a while, "Yes." Kanda admitted. Lavi looked at Kanda as if he was mad. Sebastian looked at them with a straight face. He them smiled, "Very well then, I shall talk to Madam Rose and the head chef about this, both of you will learn from us, provided that you stop peeking through that crack, it's been getting bigger lately since you two started." Kanda and Lavi flushed, they were caught, but they were grateful._

_(End of Flashback)_

"Ready to go?" Kanda asked. Lin glared at him; Lavi chuckled and shook his head. "Don't mind him; he's just the way he is." Lavi whispered to Lin. "There is nothing left back there for you my dear," Lavi said as he pointed to the path they had just came from, "Everything, is in Paris." Lin pondered about it for a moment, the necklace rested below her scruffy top, she sighed, "Gentlemen, start your lesson."

"I remember it well," Lavi smiled.

"_You were born in a palace by the sea." _Lavi started, Kanda groaned to himself but he had a slight smile as he remembered the life back then.

"_A palace by the sea?"_ Lin followed after Lavi, wondering about how it was really like back then.  
_"Could it be?"_

"_Yes, that's right."_ Lavi nodded and continued to lead Lin the song.  
_"You rode horseback when you were only three." _Kanda started to grin as he remembered how dumb it actually was when she kept falling off and crying.

"_Horseback riding? Me?"_

"_And the horse...he was grey!"_

"**He was white."** The background music screeched in Lavi's mind. He turned around and faced Kanda. "He was grey!" Lavi pouted, "He was white you idiot, the grey one was Komui's" Kanda said with a straight face, there was a pause, "I knew that." Lavi said stubbornly and turned around.

"_You made faces and terrorized the cook!" _Lavi jumped expecting Kanda to at least catch him to get the expression but he hit the ground as Kanda walked away "Opps" Kanda smirked.

"_Threw him in the brook!" _Lavi sang as he laughed

"_Was I wild?"_

"_Wrote the book! _

_But you behaved when your father gave that look!" _Lavi pointed to Kanda and started running away from him as Lin laughed.

"_Imagine how it was!_

_Your long forgotten past!_

_We've got lots and lots to teach you and the time is going fast!" _Lavi continued singing as Timcanpy flew around their heads.

"_Alright, I'm ready!" _Lin said eagerly.

"_Now shoulders back and stand up tall!"_ Lavi sang as he pushed her shoulders back and poked her back a bit to make her stand straight ending off with a stick on her head to balance.

"_And do not walk but try to float!"_ he mimicked Madam Rose's voice but not enough for Lin to remember.

"_I feel a little foolish, am I floating?"_

"_Like a little boat!_

_You give a bow!"_

"_What happens now?"_

"_Your hand receives a kiss!" _Lavi grinned as his lips lightly touched the back of Lin's palm.

"_Most of all remember this: _

_If I can learn to do it, you can learn to do it._

_Something in you knows it,_

_There's nothing to it!_

_Tell yourself it's easy  
And it's true!_

_Follow in my footsteps, shoe by shoe,  
You can learn to do it too!"_

The scene changed to the trio on a truck having a meal,

"_Now, elbows in and sit up straight  
And never slurp the stroganoff."_ Lavi grinned.  
_  
"I never cared for stroganoff!"_ Lin said dramatically.

_"She said that like a Romanov!  
The Samovar.  
The caviar."_

_"Dessert and then goodnight?"_ Lin asked eagerly.

_"Not until you get this right!" _Lavi mimicked Sebastian's voice.

The scene changed again to horse riding.

"_If I can learn to do it,_

_You can learn to do it_

_Pull yourself together,_

_And you'll pull through it!  
Tell yourself it's easy  
And it's true!  
You can learn to do it too!" _Kanda and Lin raced until the finish line as Lavi fell into a ditch. Kanda crossed the finish line seconds before Lin and rode back to where Lavi was and pulled out a hand, "ten bucks." He grinned. Lavi groaned and slapped his face back into the mud.

The scene changed yet again to them riding another lorry.

"Next! We memorize the names of the royalty" Lavi paused and looked at the scroll. "Yuu, you teach her this." He said as he handed him the scroll. "What?! Buy why? And stop calling me by that name!" Kanda hissed. "Because you're good at this! Unless you can forget about it and have Lin humiliate-" "I'll take it." Kanda grumbled as he snatched it from Lavi's hands.

"Let's see... we have Kropotkin..."

"No you silly!" Lavi burst out. "How on Earth is our dear Princess going to learn and memorize if you teach her like this! My god, you're Sebastian himself! BORING!" Kanda shot a glare at Lavi, "You want to get thrown off this truck?" "You want Lin to remember everything as fast as possible?" Kanda grumbled under his breath as he had nothing to say, "Fine." He cleared his voice a bit,

"_Now here we have Kropotkin,  
Shot Potemkin,  
In the Botkin."  
_

"Oh!" Lin and Lavi gasped in surprise as Kanda taught her.

_"And dear old uncle Vanya loved his vodka-" _

"_Got that Lin?" _Lavi asked.

"No!"

"_The Baron Pushkin"_ Kanda went on,

_"He was...?" _Lin asked, 

_"Short!" _Lavi laughed

_"Count Anatoly"_

_"Had a...?"_

_"Wart!" _Lavi laughed even harder when he remembered how he looked like.

_"Count Sergei  
Wore a feathered hat."_

_"I hear he's gotten very fat." _Lavi grinned taking deep breaths.

_"And I recall his yellow cat!" _Lin burst out. Kanda and Lavi looked at her in surprise as Timcanpy bounced on her head when he heard 'cat'.

_"I don't believe we told her that." _Kanda nodded.

And again. This time, on a bicycle.

"_If you can learn to do it,  
I can learn to do it!"_  
_  
"Don't know how you knew it" _Lavi lifted her chin as they rode on the bicycle to straighten her back while Kanda left them behind.

_"I simply knew it!  
Suddenly I feel like someone new..."_

"_Lin, you're a dream come true!" _Lavi sang as they rode the London bus. Kanda wondered when the hell this was going to stop.

Lavi and Lin continued to sing when they got off the bus,

"_If I can learn to do it,"_

_"If I can learn to do it"_ Lin echoed after Lavi.  
_  
"You can learn to do it!"_

_"You can learn to do it."_

_"Pull yourself together  
And you'll pull through it!  
Tell yourself it's easy,_

_And it's true --  
You can learn to do it,  
Nothing to it!  
You can learn to do it too!"_

And they boarded the ship to Paris. Kanda sighed, finally.

* * *

"Here! I bought you a dress!" Lavi handed it over to Lin. She looked at it. The skirt was a bit big, "You bought me a... tent..." she said as she looked inside. Lavi looked from the top, "Watcha lookin for?" he asked, "The Russian circus! I think it's still in here!" Lin said teasingly. Lavi chuckled, "Just put it on..." and he went upstairs. "What are you smiling at you rabbit?" Kanda said in an irritated voice. "Oh, what? Sorry, you'll see later." Lavi grinned.

* * *

"Checkmate." Lavi grinned, Kanda muttered curses under his breath resisting the urge to break the chess board. Both did not notice a particular girl coming out to the deck in a green emerald dress with slightly puffed up sleeves and the skirt flowed all the way down to her ankles. Her hair flowed down smoothly until her waist. She let out a small cough. Lavi and Kanda looked up.

Both stared for a long time.

"STRIKE!" Lavi yelled with two thumbs up. Kanda just stared.

_(Flashback)_

_A young princess who had always loved green danced across the ballroom as the young boy gazed at her behind a pillar, for he was a servant, and she was the princess._

_(End of Flashback)_

"Wonderful! Marvellous! And now, you are dressed for a ball!" Lavi said as he spun her around like a dancer. "And you will learn to dance for one as well." And Lavi pushed Kanda forward. "Now Yuu, don't let Madam Rose down!" he whispered. "What he- I didn't even like her in the first place!" Kanda growled back, "and stop calling me by my first name!" "Just go!" and with that, Lavi gave one last shove and pushed Kanda towards Lin. He stumbled forward. Both got into position. "Have you danced before?" Lin whispered, "No" Kanda muttered, "Damn that Usagi..." he muttered. She giggled.

"And... one, two, three, one, two, three... No, no." Lavi smiled gently, "You don't lead Lin, let him." Lin flushed as Lavi pointed out her mistake. "Don't worry, let's try again shall we? And... one, two, three, one, two, three..."

They started dancing with a lot more success. Kanda looked at her, "T-that dress looks good on you."

"Do you think so?"

"Yes... I mean, it looked good on the hanger but... it looks even better on you... you should wear it."

"I am wearing it."

Lavi nearly let out a snort. It was one of those rare occasions when Kanda messed up.

"Oh yes, right... I'm just trying to give you a..." Kanda couldn't find the right words to say.

"Compliment?" Lin finished off his sentence.

"Yeah..." and they continued dancing.

Lavi sighed as Timcanpy settled on his shoulder, "_It's one-two-three and suddenly  
I see it at a glance --_

_She's radiant  
And confident and born to take this chance._

_I taught her well.  
I planned it all!  
I just forgot...  
Romance!_

_Lavi, how could you do this?  
How will we get through this?  
I never should have let them dance..."_

Lavi shook his head thinking about what would happen in the future. The two didn't notice and continued dancing.

"I'm feeling a little... dizzy..." Lin murmured.

"Light-headed?" Kanda asked.

"Yeah..."

"Me too." They stopped dancing.

"Maybe we should stop. Kanda said.

"We have stopped." Lin said.

"Oh, yes, right..."

They stared into each other's eyes.

"Lin I..."

"Yes?"

They leaned forward to kiss but before their lips met, a growl was heard, Timcanpy. The two broke out of their thoughts. Kanda coughed, "You're doing good." And he walked away.

* * *

**AH SHIT! I'M SORRY I'M SORRY I'M SORRY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I KNOW IT HAS BEEN WEEKS AND MONTHS AND YEARS! AND I'M SO SORRY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!**

**But sadly from here on I the story is going to be late because of School. This is the real valid excuse okay? So either ways, read and review!**

**Ah I love it when I was typing out the song...**


	7. Chapter 7

For starters, I apologize for the extremely long hiatus! I re-read my stories and I came to a conclusion that my stories, well, they suck.

Anyway, I'll be trying to complete this story in my own way, but still following the main plot. We might not be seeing any songs either.

The continuation of the story is inspired by Sora'sgirl12468, who has greatly encouraged me to continue writing and finish what I have started.

I do not own D. Gray-man

* * *

Lin sighed again, catching the attention of Lavi, who looked up with curiosity, "Everything okay, Lin?"

"I'm fine," she replied, "But I don't know why I feel so uneasy today, it's like I'm missing something." Lin sighed again, "I just don't know what it is."

Lavi chuckled, "Well, I think Kanda has been feeling the same thing today after dancing, he seems rather depressed."

Eyes traveled towards a mattress where Kanda was sleeping, tossing and turning his head.

"I think he's in a nightmare." Lin whispered, suddenly more aware of the sleeping irritant and the fact that her cheeks felt warmer.

"It happens." Lavi sighed, staring in envy, "although he sleeps like a baby!"

Lin giggled as she remembered Lavi's seasick experience earlier. Just then, Timcanpy, who had sneaked into Kanda's bag, toppled the entire bag from the inside and the contents landed with a resounding crash. Kanda woke up startled.

"What just happened?" the easily-irritated teen growled, glaring daggers through half-awake eyes at the two.

"Nothing! Really!" Lavi tumbled as he took the bag and placed it back into its original place, "you can go back to sleep now!"

"What's this?" Lin asked as she picked up an intricate box which was worn against time. Before she could ask anymore questions, Kanda snatched it from her.

"It's a box." Kanda said firmly.

"It doesn't look like one." Lin said, wondering why Kanda was suddenly so uptight. "Sorry to be rude, but that seems more like a girl's thing." She paused, feeling uneasy for some strange reason as she asked, "did your girlfriend give it to you?"

Silence hung in the air. Lavi shifted uneasily, unable to think of a way to divert the topic to something safer and die-in-Kanda's-hands proof. Just then, Kanda shoved the box back into the bag and covered the entire blanket over himself.

"Goodnight." was muffled from under the blanket. Lavi sighed as he thought the same thing as Kanda did, _'She's not the real one.'_

Both of them knew from the start, that Lin had a past that she herself could not recall. That she couldn't possibly be the lovely and charming princess Lenalee who went missing. But the sense of disappointment still overwhelmed them as they saw Lin question about the box.

Lavi forced a smile to an oblivious Lin as she looked at them puzzled, "I'm sure you'll find out about the box soon when we get to Paris, but for now, let's go to sleep, we have a long day tomorrow."

"If you say, so," Lin yawned, "Goodnight, Lavi."

"Goodnight, Lin

As they retired to their beds, Lavi swore he heard Lin say to herself, "It looks familiar… But why can't I remember anything about it?"

That night, Lin had a dream. She dreamt that she was in a vast plain covered in flowers. The sky had a yellow hue indicating the start of a new day and butterflies fluttered here and there, adding color to the landscape. She saw a small boy, about five perhaps, dressed in a sailor suit, sitting on the roots of the tree. The little boy saw her and jumped up, waving at her with a huge smile. Lin smiled and waved back. All of a sudden, the boy shouted something and beckoned her towards him before running off.

_Wait, I can't hear you… _

She followed the boy as they walked across the plain and over the hill, she could hear laughter in the distance, at the bottom of a hill. They were girls of her age, but she still felt a sense of respect and familiarity towards them as if they were years older. Suddenly, the wind picked up and played with her hair and her skirt.

She knew them, but she didn't know them and she had a strange feeling that someone was missing.

Suddenly, there was a splash. The young boy had jumped into a lake surrounded by lush greenery. Everyone laughed, some of the girls even joined in the fun.

_She laughed__, and she followed them to the lake._

She walked up towards a small cliff facing the lake and watched the girls and a young boy play in the water when a charismatic man in his forties ran from behind her and dived into the lake, creating a loud splash. She laughed along with them as she shielded herself from the small droplets of water. As she put her hands down, she saw everyone in the lake looking at her, the charismatic man lifted his hand towards her and said with a large smile, _"Come."_

_

* * *

_

He felt something bounce on his head, something round, soft, small; and annoying. However, his mind fully awoke only to the pain on his ear. Kanda grunted and sat up, only to see a very annoying ball of yellow.

"What!" Kanda hissed, "You annoying bastard! You bit my ear!"

Knowing that arrogant one was awake, Timcanpy flew off, heading towards the upper deck. Kanda narrowed his eyes and looked around the room. It was stormy outside and the placed rocked violently, that was when he noticed, the girl was gone.

"Lin?"

Kanda suddenly grew anxious, his heartbeat suddenly shot sky high as he looked around the room. Even as he tried to reason with himself that she might have gone to the washroom, he still had that uneasy feeling that something bad was about to happen. Kanda quickly grabbed Mugen and ran out of the room following Timcanpy.

The moment he threw open the door to the main deck, he was greeted with a sudden wave of rain and seawater, he closed his eyes, spitting the salty taste out of his mouth as he tried to maintain his balance against the rocking ship. When he recovered, his eyes opened, only to barely make out a figure in a white dress walking in a carefree manner as if there was no storm or rocking ground. Then, to his horror, the figure slowly made her way to the edge of the boat and slowly climbed onto the thin rail of the boat, only holding on to one rope and faced the violent sea.

That was when his heart leaped as he shouted her name, "LIN!"

* * *

Lin looked at the group in the lake. Something was wrong, terribly wrong, the air around her seemed tense, as if they were waiting for her to jump, as if they wanted her to jump.

"There is no need to worry dear," the man said, "come."

Lin felt uneasy as she slowly backed away, only managing to shutter a "No."

"Come." The man said, suddenly with more impatience in his eyes, the girls around him started to morph into green dragon-like creatures, then slowly, the landscape started to change. Suddenly, Lin found herself in a dark hell surrounded by more of the dragons, the man changed into another man, one with madness in his eyes with long red hair.

"COME!"

And she screamed. Fear gripped her and suddenly, a dragon grabbed her arms by its talons.

* * *

"Lin! Wake up! Lin!" Kanda shouted as he grabbed her and brought her body back into the boat. Lin screamed, still dreaming. Kanda shook her, "LIN!"

Lin gasped as if she woke up from unconsciousness, breathing rapidly and saw Kanda with his face filled with fright and worry.

"The massacre," She gasped.

Kanda looked at her, "What do you mean?"

"The massacre! They killed Daddy and Mommy! The servants!" Lin screamed, tears of fright rolling down her cheeks.

Not making sense of what the girl was saying, Kanda still replied, "It's okay Lin, it's just a dream, you're here now; nothing is going to happen, okay?"

Her only reply was whispered, "I'm scared."

"It's okay now." He whispered back to her, and slowly, the storm started to clear as he held her in his arms.

* * *

In another part of the world, hundreds of feet underground, the screams of frustration could be heard in a space known as 'Void'. Where the souls filled with unrest resided, a certain red-head caught the attention of many others.

"Master! Please calm down!" A young boy pleaded as the red-head knocked his own head against a wall.

"That insolent man! He ruined my plans of killing the last royal member!" Cross screamed, taking no heed of his idiot apprentice.

"Why don't you just do it yourself, I'm not involved…" Allen muttered, unfortunately, the master's sharp ears heard every word and looked up with madness in his eyes.

"Why didn't you say it sooner my idiot apprentice?"

Allen gulped, his gray eyes filled with panic "Say what?"

"Come child, we are going to…. THE SURFACE!" And Cross grabbed the idiot apprentice, laughing with mad glee as he propelled himself to the surface with the help of some mysterious force.

All Allen could think of throughout the new chaos was, 'Why me!"

* * *

In the morning, Lin woke up on her bed, and noticed a wet pile of clothes belonging to Kanda while he slept with a dry set of clothes on him. It was then when she realized that her hair and clothes were damp.

"Wow, what happened? Did both of you kiss in the rain or something?" Lavi asked with amusement in his eyes.

Feeling herself flush, Lin threw a pillow at him, only to miss his head by a few inches and landed on a totally different target. A sleeping Kanda.

Kanda grunted on the impact and opened a pair of murderous eyes directed towards the two and without thinking, Lin said, "Lavi, what have you done!"

What happened after was unrecorded in history, just like many other casualties caused by the infamous demon known as Kanda Yuu.

* * *

**A/N**: Hope you enjoyed this chapter! And hopefully I will be able to complete the rest of this story as well!

Please review!


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